“Who Am I?”
Luke 9:28-43
Jenny Caughman wrote a mid-week devotion for this past Wednesday that got me thinking.
If you missed it, you might want to go back and have a look.
If you don’t get the mid-week devotions sent to you by the church and you would like to, please add your email address in the pew pad and perhaps a little note that reads: “Please add me to the email list.”
In any event, in her devotion Jenny focused on the question: “Who Are You?” as it relates to the question we are most often asked when we meet someone at a social event: “What do you do?”
Which is how many of us, perhaps, define who we are.
But is what we do really who we are?
It’s true that much of our identity, both our self-concept—who we think we are—and our self-worth is often tied up in what we “do.”
But this can be problematic on so many levels.
What if, for example, what we do is not what we want to be doing?
Or what if what we do is demeaning in some way, but we have to do it in order to put food on the table?
Or perhaps, either due to a disability, accident or simply the natural aging process we cannot do what we or society deems as useful?
What happens to our identity then?
In her devotion, Jenny shared a story about, what she refers to as “one of the most profound discussions” she’s ever had which was with a person who, as they aged, had lost the ability to do all the things through which they had defined themselves.
Grieving yet another a new loss the person asked Jenny, “Who am I?”
Jenny asked back, “Who are you?”
Jenny shares that this was followed by a very long period of silence, during which she became more and more anxious, wishing she had not asked that question…
Driving to work that morning, in silence, I got thinking about that question as it pertains to my life.
What would my answer be to the question of “Who are you” or “Who am I?”
(pause)
It’s an interesting, yet profound and important question to ask ourselves.
How would you answer this question?
How do you define yourself?
(pause)
This is Transfiguration of the Lord Sunday, and all three of our Scripture readings, in distinct ways, contribute to what this means.
But it’s mainly about the Gospel Lesson.
Jesus leads His inner, inner circle of disciples: Peter, James and John on a hike up a really high mountain.
And then, as Jesus is praying there is this other-worldly—sci-fi kind of thing that happens.
And the emphasis throughout all this is Jesus’ identity—Who He Is.
On that mountain, Jesus’ face somehow changes, and His clothes become as bright as a flash of lightening.
This is reminiscent of Moses’ face becoming radiant upon experiencing the presence of God in our Old Testament Lesson from Exodus.
But the change in Jesus’ entire appearance distinguishes Him from Moses.
Jesus’ transformed appearance is not merely because He is experiencing God’s glory like Moses did but rather because He is the Very Source of God’s glory.
Then, the appearance of Moses and Elijah add to the validation of Jesus’ identity.
Moses and Elijah embody “the Law and the Prophets” which all point to Christ Jesus as the Messiah.
Then the most direct testimony about Jesus’ identity comes from the Voice of God saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”
This is similar to God’s message at Jesus’ baptism: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
The difference is that the message at Jesus’ baptism was spoken directly to Jesus, but on the Mount of Transfiguration the message is spoken directly to the disciples.
“This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”
Not only were Peter, James and John Jesus’ disciples.
Not only were all the other earliest followers of Jesus His disciples.
Everyone here this morning, who have made the decision to dedicate their lives to Christ are also Jesus’ disciples.
A disciple is a learner.
A disciple seeks to walk in the footsteps of the Rabbi or Teacher, or in our case Jesus.
A disciple seeks to BE LIKE the Rabbi, Teacher, or in our case Jesus.
And so, we are to “Listen to Jesus,” in order to live into this.
How are we doing at listening to Jesus?
Do we understand what Jesus is about, or at least understand a bit of what He teaches and embodies?
Or do we hear but not comprehend?
Do we give our assent to Jesus’ Words but not internalize them—not put them into action?
Of course we do.
I do this.
Everyone who has ever lived has done this to one degree or another.
Jesus instructs us to sell what we have and give to the poor, and yet we clamor for more and more money and stuff.
Jesus tells us to love and welcome the stranger and we complain about people crossing our borders.
Jesus instructs us to feed the hungry, and we—so often—just throw uneaten food in the trashcan.
I do it.
We all do it to some extent.
Jesus tells us to love our enemies and to turn the other cheek but we ball up our fists at the first sign of provocation.
We are told to forgive as we have been forgiven, but we hold grudges against those who have insulted us, wronged us, hurt our feelings.
Jesus tells us to love one another…He says that this is how people will know we are His disciples—if we love one another.
And then, we fight, quarrel, exclude, judge and bully.
Jesus says we are to be in the world but not of the world and then we go and make a political candidate or party into a litmus test as to whether someone is a Christian or not.
Oh Lord have mercy.
Oh Christ have mercy.
I have a very hard time listening to You Jesus.
I have more important things to concentrate on.
I’ve got my own agenda.
I’ve got to look out for number one and that is not You!
And so, I get stressed out.
I get fed up.
I get frustrated.
I hit a brick wall and another and another.
I lose hope.
And I wonder why my life isn’t producing fruit for the Kingdom.
And then, I am reminded.
Last Wednesday, after reading Jenny’s devotion, I was driving to work without any outside noise to distract me.
And I got to thinking, “Who Am I?”
And after a second or two it was settled: “I’m a follower of Jesus.”
That is my identity.
That is my answer to the question.
And I need to remind myself of this, or I need to allow God to remind me of this, to speak those Words again: “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”
Last Wednesday God spoke these words through my sister in Christ—Jenny.
At other times God speaks through my wife or my kids.
A lot of times, God speaks through the church and people who come to the church for assistance.
But when I get distracted…
…when I don’t read devotions…
…when I don’t meditate on God…
…when I’m not involved in the Church…
…when I’m not actively helping others through loving kindness I’m very good at not listening, not hearing.
So, Moses represents the Law and Elijah represents the Prophets.
And Jesus tells us “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”…and… “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
He says, “All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commands.”
In other words—it all comes down to this.
This is what it means to be a Jesus follower.
This is the goal.
And if we are going to really do this, we are going to have to follow Jesus down the Mountain and into the valley.
And what did Jesus find when He came off the mountain?
A whole lot of need.
A whole lot of hurting and broken people in need of love and healing.
If we want to be like Jesus, if we want to follow Him, we must go where the pain is, where the need is…and apply the healing embrace of God’s love.
At various times in our lives we can “do” more or less.
But we are always capable of loving God and others.
And that is to be the answer to the question: “Who am I?”
I am a Jesus follower who is trying to listen.
Who are you?
…move right into Communion…
